Reinvigorating The Rotary Tom Jackson Stay in School Program
Franco Savoia
In 2010, Catherine Brownlee and Steve Allan, building upon RCCD’s legacy Stay in School program and with the inspiration of Marmie Hess, launched the Tom Jackson Stay in School Program. In consultation with Indigenous Elders and leaders, as well as our Club’s Past Presidents and the membership generally, the program focused on supporting Indigenous students in completing high school.
This was largely modeled on RCCD’s Stay in School Program using a mentorship model. Several other Clubs were involved initially, including the Rotary Club at Stampede Park, and the hope was that we could expand the initiative throughout District 5360.
Due to a lack of resources, there were challenges with sustaining and growing the program. About three years ago RCCD decided to transfer the program to another provider. After a review, RCCD entered into a four-year agreement with Big Brothers and Big Sisters for the administration of the program together with a financial commitment from our Stay in School endowment funds.
There were similar challenges in the operation of the program by Big Brothers Big Sisters, so the contract with Big Brothers Big Sisters was terminated in 2023.
Over the past 10 years there have been extensive changes in our community in regard to Indigenous/non-Indigenous relations. To address these changes, which are fundamental to Rotary’s objectives to advance peace, goodwill and understanding amongst all peoples, a Rotary District Indigenous Relations Committee was formed. In 2023, RCCD also formed an Indigenous Reconciliation Committee, chaired by Jennifer Lavier Jankovic.
Over the past year, RCCD members have sought the advice of community leaders on options for the future of the Tom Jackson program. The rate of high school completion among Indigenous youth continues to be much lower than their non-Indigenous counterparts; we believe Rotary can perhaps be a catalyst in helping to improve outcomes.
As the need to build support for Indigenous youth has grown and deepened, several community leaders, including RCCD Past President Eva Friesen and her colleague Tim Fox at the Calgary Foundation, suggested that RCCD seek an Indigenous-led organization to assist RCCD in conducting a review of the history of the program and to focus on possible directions for its future.
To that end, RCCD met with Urban Society of Aboriginal Youth (USAY) to discuss RCCD’s options and the development of an Indigenous created program to assist Indigenous young people in completing high school and ultimately higher education to achieve a living wage and break the cycle of unemployment and poverty.
RCCD and USAY have entered into an agreement to collaborate in the redevelopment and reinvigoration of the Rotary Tom Jackson Stay in School Program. Rotarians will actively participate in this collaboration and RCCD is providing $15,000 to cover honorariums, facilitator fees, space rentals, refreshments, and other related expenses. USAY is providing in-kind leadership, facilitating stakeholder consultations and engagement, documentation with a historical review as well as program design and implementation.
The project has begun; a part time facilitator been engaged; a historical review is underway; and stakeholders are being identified and consulted.
The project is expected to be completed by May 30, 2024.
For more information, contact Steve Allan, Sean Baylis, Jennifer Lavier Jankovic, and Franco Savoia